Social Conflicts In The Information Society: Theoretical Foundations, Typological Analysis, And Regional Implications For Central Asia

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of social conflict under the conditions of the emerging information society, with particular attention to Central Asia and Uzbekistan. Building on classical conflict theory (Durkheim, Simmel, Blau, Mauss) and contemporary typological approaches (Rutkevich, Antsupov, Davletchina), the study traces how digitalization reshapes the sources, subjects, and forms of social conflict. Using a qualitative, interpretive analysis of theoretical and empirical literature, the paper develops an "interests → conflict → development" model, evaluated through SMART criteria, and applies it to the phenomenon of information conflict and its most radical expression, cyberjihad, understood as a networked, non-linear, and decentralized form of confrontation. The results indicate that information-society conflicts are increasingly driven by unequal access to digital resources, the erosion of traditional normative consensus, and the strategic instrumentalization of information flows by state and non-state actors alike. The discussion situates these findings within the regional cooperation frameworks pursued by Uzbekistan and its Central Asian neighbors since 2017, arguing that mitigating information-society conflict requires an integrated legal, technical, and educational strategy rather than purely repressive measures. The article concludes that a holistic, ethically grounded approach to information governance is indispensable for regional stability